Toothpick dispenser



Nov. 7, 1939. B, G. VELIN Er AL 2,178.944

TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Filed June 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l BAA? NH W" Z L fi lnvenio rs 15 Vela/z Attorneys Nov. 7, 1939. B" e. VELIN ET AL. 2,178,944 I I TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Filed June 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W/ Um InveniotS' Z. 75Z22z $.32 75 1512 M .MZEVZZZW/ A itorneys Patented Nov. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT rice TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Application. June 9, 1938, Serial No. 212,832

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in toothpick dispensers for use particularly in restaurants and other public places and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means through the medium of which toothpicks will be delivered one at a time in a highly satisfactory and sanitary manner.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a toothpick dispenser of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of an embodiment of the dispenser, portions thereof being broken away.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section through the device, showing the vertically movable toothpick container in lowered position.

Figure 3 is a view substantially similar to Fig. 2 but showing the toothpick container in elevated position.

Figure 4 is a detail View in perspective of the swinging delivery member.

Figure 5 is a view in front elevation of the toothpick container.

Figure 6 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 8-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comp-rises a cabinet I of suitable material which is mounted on a base 2. Access to the upper portion of the cabinet I is had through the medium of a suitable closure 3. A hand may be inserted in the lower portion of the cabinet I through an opening 12 in the lower front portion of said cabinet. The reference number 5 designates pairs of guide rails which are mounted vertically on the side walls 6 of the cabinet I.

Mounted for vertical sliding movement in the cabinet I is a container 1 for the reception of toothpicks, said-container being open at its top. Vertical flanges 8 project from the sides of the container 1 and are slidably engaged between the guides 5. The front 9 of the container I has formed therein, at an intermediate point, a

transversely elongated opening I 0. This is shown to advantage in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The toothpick container 1 is operable between a vertical partition II in the cabinet I and the back l2 of said cabinet. The partition H extends upwardly from the opening i between the side walls 5 of the cabinet i and in spaced, opposed relation to the front i3 of said cabinet. The partition H terminates, at its upper end, at an intermediate point in the cabinet i. Mounted on one of the side walls 6 of the cabinet I in spaced relation above the partition H is an inclined deflector M the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

Hingedly mounted in the lower portion of the opening it of the container l is a swinging delivery member l5. The member I5 has formed transversely in its lower portion a pocket N5 of a size to receive but a singletoothpick. Hinge eyes H on the lower edge of the member l5 receive a suitable pivot rod H which is mounted transversely on the front wall 9 of the container 1 closely adjacent the lower portion of the opening Hi. It may be well to here state that the member 15 also functions as a hinged closure for the opening ll! in the container l. Projecting from one end of the member I5 is an arm l8 which is engageable beneath the deflector M for positively causing said member l5 to swing outwardly and downwardly after it clears the partition H when the container 1 is elevated in the cabinet I.

The container i has mounted thereina false bottom l9 on which the toothpicks rest, said false bottom comprising a plurality of sections 23 hingedly connected, as at 2!. false bottom 39 is hinged on the rod l1 inthe lower portion of the opening ll! of the container 7. The other end of the false bottom I9 is suspended on a flexible strand 22 which is trained over a pulley 23 on the upper portion of the back i2 of the cabinet I and connected to the back of the container 1.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The closure 3 permits the container l to be filled from the top of the cabinet 1!, the supply of toothpicks resting on the false bottom i3. With the container 1 in lowered position, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the member i5 is held closed over the opening it by the partition ll. Also, when the container 1 is in lowered position, the false sectional bottom I9 is elevated and inclined toward the opening ill for causing a single toothpick to enter the pocket l5 One end of the of the member l5 by gravity and rest therein. Now, when a toothpick is desired, a hand is inserted, palm up, in the lower portion of the cabinet I through the opening 4 and the fingers of that hand are engaged beneath the container l. The container 1 is then elevated to substantially the position shown to advantage in Fig. 3 of the drawings. When the member l5 clears the upper end of the partition ll it swings outwardly and downwardly to open position and the toothpick in the pocket It thereof drops by gravity through the passage 24 defined in the cabinet i by said partition ll and the front l3 of said cabinet into the upturned hand. The deflector l4, located in the path of the arm l8, provides positive means for causing the member !5 to swing outwardly and downwardly when the container 1 is raised. As the container 7 is raised the hinged sectional false bottom I 9 is lowered by the flexible strand 22 in a manner to prevent the supply of toothpicks resting on said false bottom from escaping through the opening Hi. When the container 1 is released it returns by gravity to lowered position. When this occurs the member I5 is swung upwardly to closed position and maintained in closed position by the partition I l. Of course, when the container 1 returns to lowered position the false bottom l9 again assumes the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and another toothpick drops into the pocket iii of the member I5.

It is believed that the many advantages of a tooth-pick dispenser constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A toothpick dispenser comprising a cabinet, 2. container, for the reception of toothpicks, mounted for vertical sliding movement in said cabinet, said container having a discharge opening therein, a delivery member mounted for swinging movement on the container and having a pocket therein for receiving a toothpick from the container through the discharge opening, and means in the cabinet for actuating the delivery member when the container is raised and lowered.

2. A toothpick dispenser comprising a cabinet, a container, for the reception of toothpicks, mounted for vertical sliding movement in said cabinet, said container having a discharge opening therein, a delivery member mounted for swinging movement on the container and having a pocket therein for receiving a toothpick from the container through the discharge opening, means in the cabinet for actuating the delivery member when the container is raised and lowered, and a vertical partition in the cabinet in spaced, opposed relation to one of the walls thereof, said partition terminating, at its upper end, at an intermediate point in the cabinet and defining, in conjunction with said one wall of said cabinet, a discharge passage for the toothpicks.

3. A toothpick dispenser comprising a cabinet, a container, for the reception of toothpicks, mounted for vertical sliding movement in the cabinet, said container having a discharge opening therein, a delivery member hingedly mounted on the container for receiving toothpicks through the discharge opening, means in the cabinet for when the container is raised and lowered, and means in the container for supporting and elevating the toothpicks for discharge by gravity into the delivery member when the container is in lowered position and for lowering the toothpicks below the discharge opening when the container is in elevated position.

4. A toothpick dispenser comprising a cabinet, a container, for the reception of toothpicks, mounted for vertical sliding movement in the cabinet, said container having a discharge opening therein, a delivery member hingedly mounted on the container for receiving toothpicks through the discharge opening, means in the cabinet for controlling and actuating the delivery member when the container is raised and lowered, and means in the container for supporting and elevating the toothpicks for discharge by gravity into the delivery member when the container is in lowered position and for lowering the toothpicks below the discharge opening when the container is in elevated position, the last named means including a false bottom in the container having one end hingedly connected thereto adjacent the lower portion of the discharge opening, and a flexible element supported on the cabinet and having one end connected to the other end of the false bottom and its other end connected to said container.

5. A toothpick dispenser comprising a cabinet having a hand receiving opening in the lower portion thereof, a container, for the reception of toothpicks, mounted for vertical sliding movement in said cabinet, said container having a discharge opening therein at an intermediate point, a vertical partition in the cabinet in spaced, opposed relation to the front wall thereof, said partition terminating, at its upper end, at an intermediate point in the cabinet, said partition. in conjunction with the front wall of the cabinet, defining a vertical discharge passage communicating, at its lower end, with the first named opening, a closure member for the second named opening hingedly mounted on the container for swinging movement in a vertical plane, said member having a pocket therein for the reception of a single toothpick through the discharge opening of the container, the partition being engageable with said member for actuating same to closed position and for maintaining said member in closed position when the container is in lowered position in the cabinet, said member being operable over the upper end of the partition when the container is elevated for discharging the toothpick in the pocket into the delivery passage, coacting means on the member and cabinet for positively opening said member when the container is raised to elevated position, and means in the container for elevating the toothpicks when said container is in lowered position and for lowering said toothpicks when said container is in elevated position.

6. A toothpick dispenser comprising a cabinet having a hand receiving opening in the lower portion thereof, a container, for the reception of toothpicks, mounted for vertical sliding movement in said cabinet, said container having a discharge opening therein at an intermediate point, a vertical partition in the cabinet in spaced, opposed relation to the front wall thereof, said partition terminating, at its upper end, at an in termediate point in the cabinet, said partition, in conjunction with the front wall of the cabinet, defining a vertical discharge passage communicating, at its lower end, with the first named opening, a closure member forthe second named opening hingedly mounted on the container for swinging movement in a vertical plane, said member having a pocket therein for the reception of a single toothpick through the discharge opening of the container, the partition being engageable with said member for actuating same to closed position and for maintaining said member in closed position when the container is in lowered position in the cabinet, said member being operable over the upper end of the partition when the container is elevated for discharging the toothpick in the pocket into the delivery passage, coacting means on the member and cabinet for positively opening said member when the container is raised to elevated position, and means in the container for elevating the toothpicks when said container is in lowered position and for lowering said toothpicks when said container is in elevated position, said means including a false bottom mounted in the container for swinging movement in a vertical plane, said false bottom comprising a plurality of hingedly connected sections, one end of said false bottom being hingedly connected to the container adjacent the lower portion of the, discharge opening, a pulley mount- BERT G. VELIN. GOSTA E. VELIN. MARCUS H. VELIN. 

